Visitors Can Talk to Alachua County Jail Inmates from their Living Rooms

Published January 9th, 2014

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ALACHUA COUNTY - High gas prices and long distances keep some family and friends from visiting inmates at the Alachua County Jail.

But now visits can happen right from people's living rooms.

The jail has launched a new online visitation system that is in the trial stage.

There will be a fee in the future but right now it's free.

The charge will be 40 cents a minute or $8.00 for twenty minutes and the revenue will go back to the jail.

Joel Lambert, Deputy Sgt.: "It also gives them a lot more available times to come and visit so that was one of the selling points for us. And the money made goes right back into the inmate welfare fund."

The software cost the jail $450,000.

Half of this was paid for with money the inmates spent at the commissary and the other came from the county general fund - your tax money.